Spring Fashions and a Great Give A Way!!

Have you looked in your closet and thought ...

I don't have a thing to wear?

I have. Maybe it's because I have worn that dress too

many times. Or maybe it's because I just want something

fresh and new.

If you have a little girl ...

maybe she needs some new spring fashions because

she has outgrown everything in her closet.

Don't panic because I have a solution for you!

Shabby Apple has lovely dresses for women and for

little girls too!

And they are giving me the opportunity to allow

you to choose one of three lovely dresses from their

South Pacific Collection!

That's right girls ~ take your pick of ONE of these THREE

lovely dresses from Shabby Apple:

The Kanani

The Bali Ha 'I'

Or the North Shore

Leave a comment if you would like to win one of these

great dresses.

I'll give you two chances to win if you also"like" Shabby Apple

on Facebook

or

I'll give you two chances to win if you are a follower.

Shabby Apple has also given me a chance to offer you a

10% coupon! The code is "ashtreecottage10off"

Hurry to use this code because it expires in 30 days!

The winner must have a US shipping address and there

will be no exchanges for winning one of these dresses, so

carefully make your choice

The winner will be announced on

Friday, April 15th!

Good Luck to all of you and thank you to

Shabby Apple for this great offer!

Now lets go visit

Beverly for Pink Saturday

and

Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

and

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

Bentley ~ maybe Shabby Apple should start a line

of doggie apparel, and you should be their model!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Think Spring Pinks

We have finally had a couple of days of spring like weather

and my spirit is soaring.

So ...

Here are some pink pretties to help your spirit soar too!

Mom and I took these pics at her house yesterday.

I think that she did a great job arranging the carnations

don't you?

Have a wonderful weekend and be sure to visit

these parties I am joining

Pink Saturday

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

and

Seasonal Sundays

Bentley ~ let's paint the vintage lawn chairs that

your Daddy found on a dumpster dive!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Vintage Cream Soup Bowls and Liners

I found these darling cream soup bowls and liners while visiting

a favorite antique shop last week. I think that they are so

precious with the fluting and the sweet floral pattern with

pink roses ~ my favorite!

Cream soup bowls, or as they are sometimes called, cups,

provide the diner with a pleasant way to sip soup after any

floating contents are first consumed with a spoon. The liner

provides a place to rest the spoon. These are often used at a

luncheon tablescape and are also perfect for serving bouillon.

I don't serve cream soups very often since we try to be

heart healthy at our cottage, but I do love Roasted Red Pepper Soup

and am including my recipe at the end of this post.

For those of you who are interested, this is the Roanoke pattern

from Royal Worcester.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

1 can chicken stock

1 can diced tomatoes

1 large roasted red pepper (either freshly roasted

or one from a jar)

2 tablespoons half and half

S & P to taste

Saute onion in small amount of olive oil until

translucent. Add garlic and saute briefly.

Add chicken stock, tomatoes and roasted red pepper cut into chunks.

Bring to boil in small stock pot, and turn down to simmer for

30 minutes.

Working in small batches, place in blender and blend until smooth.

Return to stock pot and heat up a bit and add the half and half.

Enjoy!

I am joining our friends Laurie and Beverly for

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

and

Pink Saturday

Bentley loves soup, but I don't think he needs a bowl

with handles ~ do you?

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Pink Dotted Swiss

The other day I went to my favorite consignment shop and

discovered four panels of pink dotted swiss. One pair is an 84" long, lined

and weighted drape. The other pair are sheer. Both have lovely

scalloped edges. I have always love dotted swiss fabric and was

thrilled to find them especially at very a reasonable price or let's say cheap.

I am not quite sure how I will use them yet. I'm thinking about using

the sheers as cafe curtains on a white rod with white rings.

What do you think?

I just love consignment shops ~ don't you?

I am joining ~

Pink Saturday

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

and

Saturday Nite Special

Bentley ~ the manager of the consignment shop has a very cute

little female Boston Terrier named Dot. I think you two

would make a very cute couple!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Just A Little Pink to Cheer Us Up!

We are all tired of cold weather, snow, ice storms and the

world wide unrest.

How about a little pink vignette to cheer us all up?

You will find more cheer at these happy parties ~

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

Pink Saturday

and

Saturday Nite Special

Bentley ~ lets be thankful for our many blessings! And

let's pray to end the sadness in the world.

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Random Favorites

Pinks and soft pastels just have a way ...

of evoking thoughts of spring!!

Just what we need on these ...

cold gray days!

Have a happy Saturday everyone!!

I am joining:

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

Pink Saturday

and

Saturday Nite Special

Bentley ~ Momma will be working on Saturday,

but Daddy will be home to play with you!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

My Favorite Christmas Carol

Every year when I unpack the boxes of Christmas Decorations

I am happy to see my favorites once again.

I love everything about the Christmas holiday ...

Buying and wrapping gifts for family and friends,

Decorating the house,

Baking cookies, and especially ...

Christmas music!

On my blog this season you will hear lots of my favorites ...

But my very favorite Christmas Carol is O Holy Night.

I cannot sing nor listen to that beautiful Carol without

getting tears in my eyes!

I'm linking up to:

Pink Saturday

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

This version of O Holy Night is performed by Charlotte Church.

Doesn't she have a beautiful voice Bentley?

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Favorite Things on My Windowsill

Little treasures on the windowsill above my desk that make me smile! Now go visit Laurie for her A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday to see what makes her smile.

I know what makes Bentley smile ~ tummy rubs!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Cool Pink!!

It's July and the temps are high!! Kids just have the right idea ... head for the fountain, especially if you are a girl and you are wearing pink of course!! I just love how kids have so much self confidence and let themselves enjoy the moment.

Of course this little one is completely fascinated by the whole thing and is checking out the seal on that grate. Cute, cute, cute!! So there you have it, pink for Pink Saturday and kids for a Few of My Favorite Things Saturday. Have a wonderful Saturday and be sure to let your own inner child come out and play wearing pink of course!!

Yes I know Bentley, you love all kids and welcome them through the picket fence each day!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Teeny Tiny Pink

This is it! A teeny tiny pink perennial in my garden. We had rain all last night and a big thunderstorm and a tornado today. This is all I could shoot between the raindrops. But, I do love these little pinks. Now I think that Beverly will have something grand to show you for this Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound and Laurie will too for her

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday!

Maybe the weather will be better next week. What do you think Bentley?? Would you like to be our new weatherman? Or should I say weather dog??

Love,

Susan and Bentley

Bentley's Pink Dream

This doesn't look right. I don't remember a pink pillow on my bed or a teddy bear wearing a pink dress or a blankie with pink flowers. I better go find Mom and see if she redecorated my bed. She's always doing things like that. Mom where are you???

She must be out in the garden somewhere. I see some pink petunias ready to be planted and what's this another teddy bear wearing a pink dress??? I'll go look for Mom in the side garden .... Mom??? Where are you???

She's not here either, but there's my pink ice cream cone squeak toy under the pink flower bush. I'll just have to look some more. Mom???

She's not up here now, but she was because I see her pink garden gloves. I wonder if she went in the potting shed. I'll just walk over there to see...

Oh no!!! It's my pink hair brush!!! This isn't a pink dream, it's a PINK NIGHTMARE!!! I better run and hide... I hate being groomed!! Oh no! Oh No!!

Wake up Bentley, wake up!! You were dreaming! Are you ready to start taking pictures for your Pink Saturday post for Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound? Laurie wants to see your pics too at her A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday. Let's get ready okay??

Sure Mom! Boy am I glad it was just a dream and I am not living in a pink world. That would be okay for Camilla next door, but I'm a boy dog after all!!

Love,

Bentley and Susan

xxoo and a woof